Roseate Spoonbill in Flight at Cazan Lake 2019
Best Locations to Photograph Roseate Spoonbills in Louisiana
Lake Martin
Lake Martin's Rookery hasn't returned to its pre-2006 status. While it still exists, it's not within photographic range, and only an occasional Roseate Spoonbill can be seen, usually high overhead.
Rip Van Winkle Gardens - Jefferson Island
Roseate Spoonbill Bathing at Rip's Rookery in May, 2024
The Rookery entrance is now along the main road into the Gardens, named Rip's Rookery. Previously, the best photography was at a small pond on the West side of the complex, but erosion has mostly submerged the Cypress Trees island. While a few birds, including Roseate Spoonbills, still nest there, their numbers have decreased. The best photography spot is now at the larger pond, requiring a longer lens for close shots. Flight shots can be captured with a shorter telephoto lens, but shots in the trees need at least a 600mm lens, preferably with a teleconverter. The afternoon is the best time to photograph, as the East Side of the pond is far from the nesting birds. This year was worth visiting, but it's not what it once was. Their web site can be seen here.
Talons Landing Road
Recent visits haven't yielded any birds.
Miller's Lake
Roseate Spoonbill in Flight at Miller's Lake, taken in April, 2024
In recent years, Miller's Lake has offered better opportunities to photograph Roseate Spoonbills. We've used a boat with an outboard motor to reach birds in the trees, though the shallow lake makes boating challenging.
Cazan Lake at PJF Farms
Roseate Spoonbill taken at Cazan Lake in May of 2024
Years ago, photographing Roseate Spoonbills at Cazan Lake required navigating a muddy road and hiking about a mile for limited access. Now, the access road is gravel, and the birds nest in a more accessible area, allowing for roadside photography. The best time to photograph is early morning. Note that boats are not allowed in the nesting bird area to protect them during nesting season. Acess to Cazan Lake is by pass, either a single day pass, or an annual pass. The Web site for the Rookery is here.
Miller's Lake and Cazan Lake are close to each other, making it ideal to photograph Cazan Lake in the morning and Miller's Lake in the afternoon.
Please consider joining us in the spring of 2025 to photograph this beautiful bird. I've been leading tours to photograph the Roseate Spoonbill since 2003 and know when and where to go. Check it out here.